Aitkin County Board awards Round 2 of CARES for Business Grants at Oct. 27th meeting

By Paul Vold kkinradio@embarqmail.com (10/29/20)

(Aitkin, MN) — The Aitkin County Board of Commissioners awarded CARES for Business Grants and reviewed Personnel Committee Recommendations at their regularly scheduled meeting from Tuesday.

Commissioners approved a donation of $500 from MBJ Inc (Johnson’s Portside) to Aitkin County Veteran Services and a final contract payment of $8,810.38 to Knife River of Sauk Rapids for road resurfacing throughout the county. 

Environmental Services Director Terry Neff presented Final Plats for Savanna Ridge Second Addition and Lakes Storage Valhalla First Addition that were approved by the Board. 

Economic Development & Forest Industry Coordinator Ross Wagner presented to Commissioners was to award Aitkin CARES for Business Round 2 Grants.

The requests were approved. County Administrator Jessia Seibert spoke to the Board about the County’s plan to spend their appropriated CARES Fund.

The County will be using excess CARES funds to go toward local businesses and nonprofits that were not fully funded from the CARES applications before determining what funds will remain. A Public Hearing for Revoking Portions of CSAH 25 will be set for December 9th at 7:30pm in the Wagner Township Hall, after a presentation from County Engineer John Welle.

Human Resources Director Bobbie Danielson presented to Commissioners a handful of Personnel Committee Recommendations.

Recommendations also included a Grade 6 (new, armed) Security/Transport Deputy Sheriff, Two Certified Appraisers, Molly Burman as a full-time Instructor Naturalist at Long Lake Conservation Center, and 2-month overlap for training for a new Environmental Services Director.

Under Administrator Seibert’s updates, Aitkin County HRA Director Teresa Smude provided their 18-month improvement update.

The Aitkin County Board of Commissioners is next scheduled to meet on Tuesday, November 10th at 9am, which will be in the Aitkin County Government Center Board Room.